Dallas Cowboys Vs New England Patriots: Post Game Analysis
Posted By Yusuf Nakhooda on October 18, 2021
Dak Prescott came through in the clutch on Sunday for the overtime victory over the Patriots but he suffered a calf injury on the games final play. *Photo by Joe Glorioso All Pro Reels
The Cowboys Patriots contest on Sunday was an absolute thriller for Cowboys fans. The Cowboys outplayed the Patriots on offense, defense, and on special teams and therefore should have won by a comfortable margin. Unfortunately, some poor officiating and some crucial mistakes by the Cowboys kept the game close. Still, the Cowboys managed to come away with the victory at New England, something they havent done since 1987. It was also the first time the Cowboys have ever beaten Bill Belichick who now owns a 1-5 record against the Americas Team. The Cowboys have now won five straight, their longest winning streak since 2016.
Dak Prescott finished the day 35 of 51 for 445 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. It was another strong overall performance from Dak that was overshadowed somewhat after he suffered a calf strain on the games final play. Dak attended the post game press conference wearing a walking boot and he will be evaluated further on Monday. He said he will be fine, but Cowboy fans will all be anxious to find out the results of the MRI scheduled for Monday. CeeDee Lamb led all receivers with 9 catches for 149 yards and 2 scores.
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2. Mac Jones vs. a hobbled Dallas secondaryJones has had the best two games of his NFL career the past two weeks. After going toe-to-toe with Brady in his return to New England, tying his record of 19 straight completions, Jones led a 10-point, fourth-quarter comeback against the Texans. The final drive wasnt always pretty but it got the job done, building confidence for a rookie quarterback finding his footing.
Injuries might give him another leg up this Sunday. Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs, who leads the NFL with six interceptions, has been limited in practice with an ankle injury. Hes being called a game-time decision and is one of a handful of defenders questionable for Sunday, a list that includes two safeties, Damontae Kazee and Donavan Wilson . Defensive end Randy Gregory might also miss this one with a bum knee.
Can Jones work around their potential replacements? Hes thrown five interceptions in the last three weeks alone and has been prone to the typical rookie mistakes. And thats where Diggs has been so clutch for the Cowboys, forcing takeaways at a rate responsible for nearly all of the teams plus-seven turnover margin .
For the Pats to have any chance, their prized rookie needs to take care of the football. They dont have the firepower to give away 7-10 points and still keep up. Jones is growing, but this Dallas defense could prove to be a tall task.
Four Plays From The Goal Line You Need To Score
This offense is elite, but to think they had four plays from the goal line and could not capitalize is unfathomable. A gripe could be made that Dak punched it in on that third down play and something needs to change league wide in regards to how they officiate and look at those situations, but at the end of the day they have to put that ball in the end zone and they have to leave no doubt while doing so. Goal line woes have reared their ugly head twice now in this young season, and they have overcome them thus far, but it needs to be figured out going forward.
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Dallas Cowboys Vs New England Patriots Betting Resources
- Matchup: NFC East vs. AFC East
- Date: Sunday, October 17, 2021
- Venue: Gillette Stadium
- ATS – Home: 3-0
- ATS – Away: 2-0
After completely falling apart following Prescotts devastating ankle injury last season, Dallasimmediately faced an enormous test to kick off the new year as the Cowboys begrudgingly ventured toTampa Bay for their Week 1 matchup against the Bucs.
The Cowboys lost their season-opener to Tampa, but I would still argue they passed the test withrelatively flying colors considering Dallas traded blows through a back-and-forth shootout against thedefending champs, and the Bucs narrowly escaped with a victory on a walk-off field-goal .
Since dropping their opener, the Cowboys have mounted an impressive four-game winning streakconsisting of victories over the Chargers, Eagles, Panthers, and Giants which is primarily a testament totheir offense sharing the league-lead in scoring and ranking second in total yardage .
Dak Prescott Threw 35
The Canadian Press
Dak Prescott , The Canadian Press
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. Dak Prescott wasn’t going to let anything prevent him from enjoying the moment.
While his team celebrated around him after he threw 35-yard touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb in overtime to beat the New Patriots 35-29 Sunday, the Cowboys quarterback felt pain in his right calf.
It wasn’t the perfect ending, but he was willing to accept it after he helped Dallas survive a wild finish and earn its first victory over Bill Belichick’s Patriots.
Just came down funny. Didnt like what I felt, said Prescott, who wore a walking boot to his postgame news conference. Life keeps throwing punches and Im gonna keep throwing them back. … But Ill be fine. Ill promise you that.
Dallas hadn’t won at New England since 1987 and was 0-5 against Belichick. The Cowboys have won five straight, their longest winning streak since 2016.
The Cowboys led 17-14 entering the fourth quarter, and that’s when the fun began. The teams traded five scores in the period, three in the final 2 1/2 minutes.
New England was clinging to a 21-20 lead when sensational Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs intercepted rookie Mac Jones and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown his seventh pick and second pick-six of the season to put Dallas ahead 26-20. On the next play from scrimmage, Jones hit Kendrick Bourne for a 75-yard score. Jones then hooked up with Jakobi Meyers for the 2-point conversion.
SLOPPY START
INJURIES
MR. DIGGS
UP NEXT
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Ceedee Lamb’s Td Gives Cowboys The Lead
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb caught a 1-yard touchdown pass with 4:53 remaining in the third quarter to help the Cowboys reclaim the lead and hold a 17-14 advantage over the Patriots.
Lamb’s touchdown may have just been the eighth of his brief career, but it holds a greater impact in Cowboys lore. It was their 2,500th touchdown since 1960, the most of any team in that span.
Cowboys At Patriots Key Injuries
Cowboys
- DE Dorance Armstrong out
- RB Ezekiel Elliott questionable
- OT Tyron Smith questionable
- CB Trevon Diggs questionable
- FS Donovan Wilson questionable
- SS Damontae Kazee questionable
- DE Randy Gregory questionable
Patriots
- G Shaq Mason out
- LT Isaiah Wynn questionable
- RB Damien Harris questionable
- LB Kyle Van Noy questionable
- K Nick Folk questionable
- CB Jalen Mills questionable
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Cowboys Skill Players Vs Patriots Secondary
Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger are quite the safety complement to veteran Devin McCourty. Their play in coverage assists on underneath routes, which allows McCourty to roam free over the top. Theyve confused passing attacks all season long and held even Tom Brady without a touchdown in coverage. In total, the starters in the secondary have been assigned just 3 of the teams allowed 6 passing touchdowns.
The Cowboys skill players, namely their pass catchers, have lived up to the name on occasion this season. With CeeDee Lamb getting back on track against New York, Amari Cooper leveling out, and TE Dalton Schultz continuing to dominate, the top trio for Prescott is as stacked as ever.
Combined, that trio for Dallas has hauled in 3 more touchdowns than New England has allowed this year. Theyre also averaging 12.6 yards per catch. As good as the Patriots aging unit is on the back end, the skill players for Dallas can hang with them. Add in Ezekiel Elliott, Cedrick Wilson, and Tony Pollard, and you have to side with Big D.
Advantage: Cowboys
What Are The Odds For Cowboys Vs Patriots
The Cowboys are 3.5-point favorites with the over/under at 51.5 points, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Patriots Offensive Line Vs Cowboys Front Seven
Rookie linebacker Micah Parsons has taken nicely to a position switch in the NFL. From stand-up, three-down linebacker in college to pass rusher in the NFL, Parsons is leading the charge on the outside for Dallas. Despite not having Demarcus Lawrence healthy, the Cowboys have recorded 9 sacks as a team. Parsons has freed up time for Osa Odighizuwa to have a breakout-type season so far as well.
This all goes without mentioning embattled defensive end Randy Gregory, who has also shown to be a force off the edge this season for Dallas. New Englands unit will have to be terrific in all facets against this unit, but especially in pass sets.
While the quick passing of Jones helps his offensive line, the Patriots OL has been a bit of a disappointment in 2021. The interior guard duo of Michael Onwenu and Shaq Mason are the bread and butter, but their tackle debacle will come to a head if they cant get plus-play against the Cowboys talent on the outside.
Advantage: Cowboys
Cowboys Vs Patriots Final Score Results: Ceedee Lamb Td In Ot Gives Dallas 5th Straight Win
It took overtime and some heroics from Dak Prescott, but the Cowboys survived a late-game comeback by the Patriots on Sunday to notch their fifth straight win, 35-29 in overtime.
The Cowboys had another dominant offensive outing, totaling 567 yards, including 455 passing from Prescott. It was their second consecutive game with more than 500 yards of offense.Prescott targeted nine different receivers, most prominently CeeDee Lamb, who hauled in nine catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns, including the OT game-winner. Tight end Blake Jarwin caught Prescott’s other score.
Dallas played well on defense, forcing two turnovers and sacking Mac Jones twice. One of the turnovers was a fourth-quarter pick-six by cornerback Trevon Diggs, who expanded his league lead in interceptions.
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Not everything was so great for Dallas, though. It converted on just 3 of 13 third-down attempts and was penalized 12 times for 115 yards.
New England was less dominant but made timely plays. The most notable one was a 75-yard strike from Jones to Kendrick Bourne immediately following Diggs’ pick-six to give New England a 29-26 lead. The Patriots were bailed out by Dallas’ numerous penalties, the defense’s stops on third and fourth down and a missed field goal kick by Greg Zuerlein.
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Cowboys Forced To Play From Behind
Dallas has uncharacteristically not held the lead for very long today …
Good stat from Mike here. After trailing for 11 minutes and 13 seconds total in their last four games, the Cowboys trailed for 23:37 of game time in the first half against the Patriots.
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Mac Jones Vs Cowboys Defense
While Jones is leading the rookies in all major passing categories, hes also in the top five among all NFL starters in a few more. Hes currently fifth in the league in completion percentage , yet he ranks 27th in yards per attempt . Jones, and New Englands scheme, are opting for short-area throws before they test anything downfield, which has become a detriment to their offense.
The Patriots offense hasnt been able to keep a lead nor are they built to come back from a deficit. Despite his high completion percentage, when Jones has tried to push the ball downfield, there have been mixed results. The most concerning part of Jones 5 total interceptions is that all of them have come on throws over the middle of the field.
Its one thing to test your receivers on the outside against top-notch cornerbacks, but its entirely a different aspect to lose sight of underneath defenders or patrolling safeties for interceptions. With Trevon Diggs and Anthony Brown, the Cowboys dont really have to worry about being beat on the outside.
In the middle of the field, the mismatches are Damontae Kazee, Jayron Kearse, and LB Leighton Vander Esch. LVEs ability in coverage should go a long way for the Cowboys in stopping yards after the catch for Patriots receivers.
Advantage: Cowboys
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Thoughts On The Cowboys Vs Patriots Week 6 Game A 35
The Cowboys pull out another win in resilient fashion, and have now won five in a row as they head into their bye week.
Gritty, tough, resilient, frustrating, sloppy, and any other word you can think of will probably do just fine to describe the Dallas Cowboys week six win over the New England Patriots. At the end of the day, the Cowboys found a way to go into a tough building against a great coach, and despite everything they did to themselves, and everything they got thrown at them, they walked out of there with a thrilling win to think about going into the bye week. There was a lot to take in on Sunday afternoon, and here are 10 thoughts from their exciting week six overtime victory.
We discussed everything from Sundays win and took a look at what people around the world are saying about the Cowboys during the latest episode of CowboysCast on the Blogging The Boys podcast network. Subscribe to our network so you dont miss any of our episodes! Apple devices can subscribe here and Spotify users can subscribe here.
After Frenetic Start Patriots And Cowboys Come Down To Earth
The chaotic pace that we saw from the Patriots and Cowboys in the first half has cooled off significantly. The Patriots, then the Cowboys, then the Patriots again went three-and-out before punting.
But the Cowboys are driving, as they are knocking on the door of the Patriots’ red zone with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
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Dallas Cowboys At New England Patriots
| Damien Harris 4 yard rush | 0 |
| Blake Jarwin 1 yard pass from Dak Prescott | 7 |
| Hunter Henry 20 yard pass from Mac Jones | 7 |
| Greg Zuerlein 30 yard field goal | 10 |
| CeeDee Lamb 1 yard pass from Dak Prescott | 17 |
| Greg Zuerlein 45 yard field goal | 20 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson 1 yard rush | 20 |
| Trevon Diggs 42 yard interception return | 26 |
| Kendrick Bourne 75 yard pass from Mac Jones | 26 |
| Greg Zuerlein 49 yard field goal | 29 |
| CeeDee Lamb 35 yard pass from Dak Prescott | 35 |
Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots – October 17th, 2021
Mac Jones’ Perfect Start Finally Ends
Mac Jones is indeed human.
The Patriots quarterback had been 10-for-10 with a little over two minutes remaining in the third quarter when he threw his first incompletion, a pass over the middle that was tipped by Jakobi Meyers before it fell to the ground.
Jones had completed his 10 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown, which was scored by tight end Hunter Henry in the first quarter.
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Trevon Diggs’ Seventh Interception Gives Cowboys A 26
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs intercepted Mac Jones at the Patriots’ 42-yard line and returned the pass for a touchdown to give the Cowboys a 26-21 lead with 2:27 remaining.
Diggs, who has seven interceptions, matched an NFL record by intercepting a pass in the first six games to start the season. Only Rod Woodson has had seven interceptions in the first six games of a season.
The Cowboys’ attempted two-point conversion, a catch by Tony Pollard, failed, leaving them only up by five.
Cowboys Offensive Line Vs Patriots Defensive Line
From left to right, the Cowboys offensive line has been as terrific as ever in 2021. Arguably, their most significant reason for success has been the play of LT Tyron Smith and RG Zack Martin, both physical maulers in the run game who excel in pass protection. LG Connor Williams made our Team of the Week, while RT Terence Steele has done an admirable job filling in for Lael Collins.
For the Patriots, its a similar situation on the defensive line. Judon has been their best player on either side of the ball this season. Hes currently tied for second in the NFL with 6.5 sacks, while his 8 total tackles for loss are the most in the league. Hes been terrific and has begun to demand double-teams and scheme-specific adjustments from opposing offenses.
Reaping the benefits of Judons impressive play have been Deatrich Wise and situational pass rushers Chase Winovich and Josh Uche. However, the biggest discrepancy for this matchup will be Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz against the interior pass rush of Davon Godchaux and Christian Barmore.
If Judon can continue to excel outside, hell take help away from Biadasz, allowing the combination of Godchaux and Barmore to get home. It helps that Judon gets a favorable matchup himself against Steele.
Advantage: Cowboys
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